Category: how to

With it being the third week of fall semester, my days have been full. Trying to balance being a student, a part-time employee, and having a social life is nothing short of challenging. Maybe I’m the only one, but one of the first things that I sacrifice when life gets hectic is taking time for myself and focusing on my health. When I have to be at work at 7 it’s hard to eat a filling, healthy breakfast unless I wake up extremely early. Then only have an hour between work and class makes it very difficult to pack a lunch and usually leaves me grabbing something quick. Not to mention, with a packed schedule that demands late nights, early mornings and focus for school work, it’s very easy to become best friends with caffeine. Oh, and working at a coffee shop doesn’t help very much.

Can anyone relate?

For a second there I forgot to spend any time working on myself, and I’m the type of person that if I continue to forget about bettering myself for more than two weeks I start drowning. I won’t even notice it sometimes until subtle things become apparent and I have to stop and realize that the cause of them are from neglecting certain aspects of my life. You guessed it, the first place I see a negative change is my skin… whether it’s from stress or cheating slightly in my diet, I notice direct correlation with breakouts.

Just this past week I looked in the mirror, and all at once, realized wow, when was the last time I did something for me? Mind you, I suddenly became aware of this because of a breakout that gave me a flashback of the years I struggled with acne. I slowly had been losing sight of my health and skincare roots. For the first time I felt as if I could relate to everyone who’s told me their countless excuses as to why they don’t eat a clean diet- “I’m too busy” “I work too much” “School is hard and I can’t worry about that” “My schedule doesn’t allow for me to eat good”. So, if you’re in the same boat as me, rowing down a fast-paced river with lots of rapids, I want you to know that you can still eat clean, but don’t stress about being perfect.

My best tips to live healthy while being busy

1.Make the best possible choices

It’s okay that you’re not super woman and don’t have time to meal prep every single meal seven days a week, and it’s okay that you want to sleep in the extra thirty minutes instead of cooking a full breakfast spread. I understand that life is busy and unpredictable and sometimes you don’t want to worry about working a full day and then coming home to cook dinner. However, what you do have control over is choosing healthy restaurants to get takeout from, and picking the best options when it comes to food. Opt for gluten free whenever possible (almost everywhere should have at least one option nowadays), ask for the dairy free option, and try to go away from processed, sugary foods. Start ordering coffee with honey instead of a sugary syrup sweetener, or switch out cream for an alternative milk like coconut.

2. Have healthy snacks on hand

Trust me, I know how tempting it is to eat the quickest thing while you’re running around town doing errands, studying or find yourself hungry at work… but one of my best recommendations is to always keep quick, healthy snacks on hand for those times when you’re in a pinch. Some of my favorites are RX bars, macro bars, lara bars or perfect bars. Fruit, or trail mix is a great choice, or even hummus and veggies is simple to pack as a snack. Instead of getting fast food, plan ahead and stock up on healthy food when you’re at the grocery store, so that you have healthy options within reach.

3. Drink water

Of course this one should be a no brainer, but for some reason I know that when I’m non-stop busy, I forget to stay hydrated. There are so many benefits to drinking water it’s crazy: clearer skin, increase energy, flushes toxins from the body, aids in weight loss (just to name a few).

3. Get healthy sweets

If you’re anything like me I have the biggest sweet tooth, like ever. So, I think I would die if I didn’t have healthy sweets available to me. Sometimes we need to be rewarded- whether it’s for a hard day at work, or school, or you’re on your period, or maybe you just feel like eating chocolate and watching the office… you deserve it. But instead of indulging in overly sweet, fake, or processed sugars I recommend opting for the alternatives (and yes, they still taste great, I promise!).

Chocolate: Lily’s Chocolate, Evolve chocolate

Simple Mills cookies– these are the best cookies ever- sweetened with coconut sugar, grain free, and freakin’ delicious

Coconut Bliss ice cream: better than regular full dairy ice cream… this stuff is addicting and only sweetened with agave nectar. What the heck!

4. Invest in yourself

Take time for yourself. Take a bath, put on a face mask, watch your favorite show or listen to your favorite music, light some candles and remember your worth. I find it much easier for myself to stay in a healthy mindset and continue to pursue goals when I practice self care. I love to read the bible and write in my prayer journal. We have to remember to love ourselves and be kind to our bodies because they’re the only ones we have. Don’t be so hard on yourself: it’s okay if you eat chocolate or have something other than a salad, just listen to your body.

5. Be thankful

Count your blessings. From personal experience, I know that I am most happy and healthy when I remember to be positive and have a grateful heart always. If you let negativity creep in it can be easy to lose sight of health goals and caring for our bodies- inside and out.

Because my skin, especially during it’s bad stages, is something that is extremely personal to me.

But, if you’re anything like me when my skin was at it’s worst, you are desperate for any advice or miracle products, just anything that will improve your skin. So, my hopes are that by sharing my experience in clearing my acne, my story might be helpful for at least one person struggling with the same thing.

I really think that only people who have acne can relate to what it feels like to have troubled skin. I struggled with acne for nearly five years, and I can honestly say that it has been one of the hardest challenges I’ve faced in my life. Having one or two pimples isn’t that bad, but experiencing acne is somehow entirely different. It effects a person on a deep, self-conscious level like nothing else. No matter what you do- cover it up with makeup, wash your face constantly, invest in expensive products- it seems impossible to get rid of. For me, five years seemed like an eternity, and one point I couldn’t even imagine having “clear skin” because it seemed so far out of reach. So, if you have acne, or even just periods of troubled skin, please read my experience, because I was able to achieve clear skin (for the most part) through a lot of trial and error.

During the winter of 2015 I decided that I was completely fed up with looking in the mirror and disliking my skin to point of immense insecurity, so I made some drastic changes. Now, about one and a half years later, I can testify that three main things radically improved my skin. Today I will be talking about the affects of diet on my skin, and over the course of this week I will go in-depth into facial treatments that have improved my skin and my product recommendations.

My diet

On January 1st of 2016 I made the drastic decision to eliminate all gluten, dairy, refined sugar and fried foods from my diet. I also got a blood test which showed that I am allergic to eggs and most nuts, which I then cut out of my diet as well. At first I was very strict to the point where I wouldn’t even eat honey or real maple syrup. After about four months of eating a clean diet I began reaping the benefits. I noticed major improvements in my skin tone and texture, and I also slimmed down without even having that intention. I cannot stress enough the importance that diet plays in our health, especially the health of our skin, which is the largest organ of the body.

About six months ago, I began taking Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen. Collagen offers so many benefits for the hair, skin, nails, gut and overall health. I swear by the powdered collagen that I use because I truly feel like it has improved my skin’s elasticity, texture and tone dramatically. Not to mention, I notice my hair to be much healthier, thicker, and shinier when I take it on a regular basis. I cannot recommend the Great Lakes gelatin collagen enough, and I would encourage everyone to buy some for themselves. It literally makes your skin glow.

Yes, eliminating staple foods from your diet may seem daunting and impossible, but after eating the way I do for over a year now, I can say that it is so extremely rewarding. My recommendation would be to start with at least one food group you’d like to cut out, see how it makes you feel, and then proceed from there. After reading countless articles on how food effects acne, I would highly recommend eliminating all forms of dairy from your diet, for at least two weeks, and see if your skin improves at all. If you do decide to make a change in your diet in hopes to clear up your troubled skin, just know that it does not happen overnight, and like any other medicine, it takes time to see the results.

Since starting my diet, I have now altered it in a sustainable way that is not quite as strict as I used to be, just because my skin is nowhere as bad as it was. I consider myself to live out a healthy lifestyle, which means listening to my body and not depriving myself of foods that my body craves. However, I still follow the no gluten, dairy and refined sugar for the most part.

I’ve also found so many other pros to eating my specialized diet. I used to have the biggest sweet tooth, and now that I don’t let myself indulge in processed, sugary treats, I don’t crave them as much. I never feel bloated after my meals, and best of all, I never feel guilty after eating something “bad”. The best advice I can give to someone who wants to make the change is to always have healthy alternatives and snacks on hand for when those cravings do hit. I will be doing a post on my favorite health food snacks very soon so stay tuned for that.

Diet played a large role in the clearing of my skin, but throughout the same time period I was consistently getting facial treatments and using special products on my face. I will be delving deeper into those topics in my upcoming posts.

Pictures:

December, 2015

January 7, 2016

January 14, 2016

February 1, 2016

February 8, 2016

February 18, 2016

March 12, 2016

Current without makeup (May, 2017)

Thanks for reading, please let me know if this post was at all helpful for you. If you have any tips or advice regarding skin or acne, feel free to leave them below, I am always interested in reading what others’ have to say.

Stick around for my follow up posts on skincare products and facial treatments. xoxo

To be honest, up until a couple months ago, I was never a huge fan of the normal, over-rated cup of coffee. And frankly, I’m still not.

With that being said, I recently discovered a coffee revolution that has transformed my mornings. And today I will be sharing my little secret with you, along with a sweet recipe that will have you in (healthy) caffeine heaven.

Before the recipe, I just want to talk about the actual coffee for bit… Have you ever heard of healthy coffee? Neither had I, before I found out about this one. It’s called Fused by Rain International and it is made from a balanced blend of grapefruit seed, grape seed, pomegranate seed, and black cumin seed. Each seed provides its own variety of benefits and nutrients for the body. They have combined the four seed oils into each coffee bean, creating a high-powered source of nutrition that elevates your normal cup of coffee and transforms it into a source of health and wellness.

I am blow away by the idea of coffee being good tasting and good for you. I absolutely love love this product and can see myself using it for years to come because it’s so much better for you than regular coffee. Now you can get energized and drink your nutrients for the day all in one. I’m going to show you how I like to drink my Fused black instant coffee in my favorite recipe. If you’re interested in further researching, or purchasing the Fused coffee by Rain, you can go to this website–> Rain

p.s. Rain also makes a latte version of the Fused coffee (with the same 4 seed oils) that is made with coconut creamer which means it’s dairy free, creamy and delicious. Try it out here.

Pour your coffee mixture and milk into a blender (and try not to spill like I did)

Blend until frothy.

Transfer back into your favorite mug

… and enjoy:)

This coffee tastes really yummy and has the perfect flavor for fall. I love adding cinnamon and cocoa to make a “mexi mocha” type drink, but feel free to add any spices you prefer. I don’t usually measure the amounts of cocoa and cinnamon I put in, but I just eyeball how much I like to taste (sorry for the non-measurements). You can also substitute the cocoa butter for regular Organic Virgin Coconut Oil.

I am always a sucker for a great smoothie. Especially a green smoothie.

Today I’m sharing with you one of my all time favorite nutrient-filled smoothie recipes that I like to drink. This beauty beverage is packed with ingredients that nourish the hair, skin, nails and overall health. It is so quick and easy to make in the mornings before work or school, you just throw everything in a blender, and in a few moments, voila! it’s ready to be slurped down as you’re driving to your destination (or at least that’s what I do).

I wanted to quickly talk about the “protein powder” that I have been using, and absolutely loving for the past 6 months. It is made from collagen, in a very convenient powder form that allows you to simply dissolve it in hot or cold water, or add it to anything you wish, like smoothies. It is not made from whey, and does not contain any additives. The only ingredient is hydrolyzed collagen, which means no nasty sweetners or bad things for the body. In a serving of 2 tablespoons, it contains 11 grams of protein, and is packed with essential amino acid groups. And the greatest thing about it, since it is made from collagen which is found naturally in bones, skin and cartilage, it is easily absorbed into the body. I have personally seem many benefits after putting it into my smoothies a few times per week, such as increased shine and health of my hair, skin and nails. Although my hair is already thick, I have noticed it to be stronger. I would 100% recommend it to anyone wanting stronger, thicker hair and improvement in their skin.

My favorite green smoothie fruit blend is any tropical mix, preferably one that has both mango and pineapple. And spinach is my go-to green of choice since it has a mild flavor and is packed with nutrients, but kale is always a good substitution.

I never make a smoothie without at least one banana (fresh, or frozen) because of the creaminess they add to the drink. But make sure that your banana is spotty, like this one, or else it is not ripe yet and can be hard to digest.

Because I am slightly allergic to almonds, and I don’t think soy is a good alternative, I opt for organic, unsweetened rice milk as my liquid of choice. However, any liquid you prefer will do just fine, such as coconut water, other non-dairy milk, or unsweetened juice.

Finally, after throwing all of the ingredients in, and squeezing in half of a lemon, you will be left with this bright green smoothie that doesn’t even taste healthy.

This gift idea is extremely simple, inexpensive and great looking! Here is the recipe I followed if you would like to make it yourself: Cookie recipe (p.s. Please keep in mind I did substitute the chocolate chips for festive red and green m&ms).

And I purchased my reindeer 1-quart jars at my local Walmart which worked out perfectly.

2. Billion dollar brow sets

What better gift would encompass the major fad of 2015? Brows on fleek, aka bold brows… And Billion Dollar Brows knew what they were doing this holiday season with their best sellers kit ($42) and 60 seconds to beautiful brows duo ($24). I am in love! If you’ve never heard of this fabulous brand, you’re missing out. bdb first began as a primarily salon brow product company, but more recently has expanded their amazing products to the daily makeup enthusiast. They carry their “universal” brow shade, taupe, in both powder and pencil form which is sure to compliment a wide range of hair colors. The best sellers kit comes equipped with the twist-up brow pencil-spoolie combo, clear brow gel, an angled synthetic brow brush, and a duo highlighter/concealer chubbie pencil, perfect for highlighting the brow bone. They are on wonderful sales for a limited time during the holidays and I would recommend picking yours up while they last!

My mom made this vintage leather belt camera strap, she runs the etsy shop Vintage Urban Renewal. Unfortunately, she isn’t quite ready to sell these to the public, but none-the-less, when she is anyone who is lucky enough to get their hands on one of these handcrafted babies will LOVE it. She also sells loads of adorable vintage clothing: Vintage Urban Renewal

Here I am, once again, talking about Blend Bee. Want to know why? Because they are the best loose leaf tea company I have yet to find! You can make your own tea blend or simply buy their good-for-the-soul pre made beneficial blends, such as the Pure Glow blend which is my favorite. It tastes wonderful, and does wonders on your skin, hair and body. It would be a perfect gift, or something nice to treat yourself with.

Want to buy some Pure Glow tea for yourself or as a gift? –> Pure glow

I created this short and simple (time lapse) video that shows you a step by step process of how to make your own wrapping paper out of plain paper & how to wrap your present in it! Please keep in mind you can substitute the colors, saying, or anything you want, this is just my take on it. I hope you enjoy.

Well that’s all for today. I hope you liked my small gift guide and little DIY, if you try it out please be sure to send me a picture!

Last month I took a look around my room, and thought to myself, ‘wow, I need to spice things up in here!’

Do you ever feel like that?

Well, after some internet searching, I found a crafty piece of artwork that caught my eye. I was inspired by a tumblr picture of dangling photographs tied on by strings to a hanging branch, displayed on a wall. The great thing about this wall art is that it’s very inexpensive and extremely easy to make.

I walked out my back door, found a worthy fallen branch, attached my favorite photos to it with earth-toned yarn, and hung it above my bed. Simple as that. It looks modern, and it’s a great way to display some of your favorite moments; whether they be from instagram or off of your camera.

I now feel like my room fits my personality better, and gives me inspiration each time I glance at my decorated wall. I even added a couple bible verses that help remind me to be thankful for every moment in the day.

What inspires you? What diy room decorations would you like to see me post?

Here are a few useful ideas for the lazy minds on this Mother’s Day. Because we all know how important that perfect gift is that will warm our mom’s heart.

to kick it off with a bang! here’s a cookbook that would make your mother happy and your tummy happier.

I don’t know about yours, but mine likes relaxing spa products to unwind with after a stressful day. Pacifica would be the best choice since they’re made with natural ingredients so…

Take your mom out for a coffee date. Or simply bring the coffee to her and chat in the comfort of your home.

Give your mom the best mani pedi she has ever had.

Let (or make) her read your favorite book(; ﻿

﻿

Succulents are good. Moms like succulents.

Bring her a giant bundle of flowers to make her feel special.

Or a slightly smaller bundle with just as much vibrance.

Handmade jewelry makes my mama smile.

Lush takes great care of moms with their gift packages.

Take a selfie with your mother and make her know how rad she is, inside and out.

Cook (or buy) her her favorite meal; whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner.

And lastly, let your mom know how special she is to you. Write a card, give a speech, hand make a gift, anything to reflect the beauty you see in her. Because really, really, what would we do without the person who has always supported and loved us, our mom. Cheers to a happy Mother’s Day!

about 40 days ago I made the large decision to chop off the definite majority of my long locks. now, since it has been growing out like crazy (I mean CRAZY, my hair is out of control), I got my shears out (for the first time ever), watched a few youtube videos and began fearlessly altering the length.

First, I started by gathering all of my supplies today in order for me to be prepared when my hair was ready to work with.
-any big clips to section hair (optional- I did because I have EXTREMELY thick hair)
-SHARP shears
-cape or shirt that you don’t care gets hairy
-newspaper to cover ground (or hard ground that could just be swept)
-spray bottle
-and it helps if someone is there to help with the back portion
-fine tooth comb

Then I washed my hair in my bath tub (note: very uncomfortable), which could also be done in a large sink. I used these products, they aren’t amazing, but definitely get the job done.

And here’s me breaking my neck…

Next, I lightly dried my hair just until it was damp with a twisted towel.

Here’s the fun part… Once my hair was the wetness I desired, I sectioned it into three parts, leaving only the bottom one down and pinning the rest up (I used a scrunchie (lol) but use whatever you prefer).

My sister kindly offered to trim the back for me, it would have been impossible without her help.
I decided on the exact amount I wanted to chop off, just above my shoulders. my sister cut a small chunk of my hair, then matched the rest with it, continuing that way to finish the first portion.

Afterwards, I kept on the same pattern, slowly matching and then trimming each side leading up to my A-line guideline. I used the fine tooth comb to smooth down each part, flattening the wet hair between my fingers , then shearing away. Shorter in back, longer towards the front.

I literally had no plan going into tho small endeavor, I trimmed at random places and basically tailored it to fit my liking. Trimming and comparing, trimming and comparing. And wow did it take me a long time. I started around 3:30 and had to stop at 5:30 (unfinished) since I was going to be late for my geology night class. in order to keep my finished and unfinished hair separate while I took my cutting break, I attended class with the untouched last portion still twisted up with a scrunchie (on the very top of my head- making it look almost laughable). when I arrived home again it didn’t take me much longer until I concluded my new doo an the night, keeping with the same technique.
My first trim was quite an experience, there were a few hiccups and every line wasn’t perfectly straight, but I was okay with it because I was going for the tousled and textures cut. Overall, it was a success with minor issues. But, hey, I saved $35!! And that’s good enough for me. AND my hair is shorter than it was before, also a plus. and even though it may look minuscule, it’s what I wanted.
The end results…🌻🌹

I hope you enjoyed and maybe (just maybe) it was partially interesting or helpful for you. love all. love Madeline. xoxo

Follow me on Instagram: @madeline.explored

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